The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has appealed to the Ebonyi State Government to revisit a recently announced environmental policy slated for implementation in Abakaliki.
In a circular issued by the Ebonyi State Ministry of Environment and shared on the official Facebook page of the Commissioner, Hon. Victor Chukwu, the public was informed that anyone caught disposing of waste outside the hours of 5:00 am to 8:00 am would be fined ₦100,000.
Reacting to the development, the CDHR Secretary in Ebonyi State, Deacon Onyibe Jeremiah, described the directive as both impractical and unfair, especially given the lack of prior public enlightenment.
“We acknowledge the ministry’s efforts to improve sanitation, but enforcing a ₦100,000 penalty without adequately educating residents is problematic,” Jeremiah said in a press statement.
He pointed out two major issues with the directive: the early morning time frame, which clashes with residents’ daily routines, and the lack of community awareness prior to the policy’s announcement.
“These hours are when most families are getting ready for work or school. Imposing such a fine without proper sensitisation contradicts the People’s Charter of Needs advocated by His Excellency, Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru,” he added.
CDHR emphasized that government policies should aim to educate and engage citizens, not penalise them without due process or awareness.
The human rights group further called on the Ministry of Environment to adopt a more inclusive approach, recommending a statewide public awareness campaign to inform residents of the new environmental regulation.
“When citizens understand the law, they are more likely to comply. Enforcement should go hand-in-hand with education,” Jeremiah concluded.
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